Card stacking mechanism



y 1941- o. L. CLEVEN 2,251,221 CARD STAOKING MECHANISM Original Filed July 28, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 &

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FTfOlP/YF) y 1941- o. L. CLEVEN 2,251,221

r CARD STACKING MECHANISM Original Filed July 28, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 29, 1941. Q CLEVEN. 2,251,221

CARD STACKING MECHANISM Patented July 29, 194i CABLE STACKENG MECHANESM @luf l... Cieven, Washington, D. 0.

Original application July 28, 1939,

Serial No.

288,9'Ffi. Divided and this application December 2'2, 1939, Serial No. 310,193

(Cl. EVE-.67)

13 Claims.

This invention relates to mechanism for stacking cards suchasare usedin tabulating or other like-machines.

The invention may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States for governmental purposes without the payment to me-of any royalty thereon, in accordance with the provisions of the act of March 3, 1883,- as amended April 3%, 1928 (ch. 460, 45-Stat. L. 467) This application is-adivision of my application SerialNo. 286,976 filed July 28, 1939 for tabulatingmachines. So much of the illustrations of the present case are'taken from the former applicationas are considered necessary to illustrate the card feed andstacking mechanismin connection with the mechanism with which itis associated in one form in said application.

The invention has the following objects: To simplify the work of retrieving the cards after passing through the machine; to provide a flexible magazine receiver for the cards that will keep a large'or smaller number of cards in their proper order; to prevent the cards from sliding on their edges in the receiver, by providing a sliding bottom support for the cards; to provide means to discontinue thefeeding ofthe cards when the receiver is nearing its full capacity; to prevent't'he machine from feeding cards if the receiver or magazine is not correctly placed toreceive and stack the cards in proper order.

In the drawings Figure Us a rear elevation of a tabulatingmachine showing the chute for guiding the cards and the feed rolls for bringing them to the stacking mechanism; shown in connection with such machine.

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken I along line 22 of Figure 1 showing the stacker mechanism, the receiver magazine and the electrical control for making and breaking the motor circuit under certain conditions, and

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the mechanism 1 shown in Figure 2, illustrating the arrangement of the stacker and receiving magazine, the outline of the base and side plates being shown in dot-and-dash lines.

Referring to Figure 1, the numeral 226 desf.

ignates a table which forms the base of a tabulating machine. On this base two main side plates A are mounted and between these the inner side plates B are mounted. The plates A form, the bearings for the driving mechanism and cardfeed of the machine, and the side Plates B carry. the chute 297 andthe feed rolls and gears that convey the cards to thereceiving magazine.

The card'K of FigureZ is controlledby feed rolls 2% and 23%. When leaving these last feed rolls a card passes to the revolving stacker 299 mounted on shaft 3%; Thisshaft is journaled in brackets S ll andfiilz'rsecured to the under side of the 225'." The stacker is driven fromthe gear 265 through two idlers 3th"v and 396, the latter. meshing with the gear 385; fastened. to

n 3 As shown, these last mentioned idlers are mounted on a bracket 3% loosely mounted on shaft 339 on one side of." the machine only, the lower end of saidbracket. having a bearing on shaft and is securedinplacc byscrew 3556 through the bracket S'M Referring to Figure 3 particularly, the base 226 and side plates A are shown in, dot-and-dash lines showing. the outline of the table and side plates .to show the relative position of the stacker mechanism. and the receiving magazine, which is below the table and arranged obliquely to its side edges. This oblique arrangementjis for the purpose of' facilitating the withdrawal, of; the drawer without disturbing the operators position at the front of the machine.

The receiving magazine about to :be described may more conveniently be called a drawer, although it. has not the usual sides and rear end that characterize. a drawer, but itis operatedas such in that it may be pulled out.

The brackets 3t! and 302; are extended-below the shaft 3% and each is providedjwitha projecticn 3%? upon which is supporteda cross-bar 333. The brackets are further extended to form journals for a shaft 359 (Figure 2) to which shaft two drums 35% are fastened and on these drums metallic ribbons 3H are wound, which ribbons have one end attached to the drums and the other to the drawer attll' so as to form apart of the bottom of the drawer.

Referringto FigureS, the numeral 3l2designates two flat bars arrangedparallel to eachother but oblique to the side plates. At the frontend of the drawer the bars are attached to studs. 313 secured to the under side, of the table, and at their rear ends. are attached to the, cross-bar 3,58,, which bar extends substantially throughout the width of the machine( Betweenthese bars iii-2 and in the same plane are two other bars EHis-ecurcd at, their forward ends to the front plate. Hi5 of the drawer, there being provided on the drawer a drawer-pull 3l6. Centrallylocated between these bars and parallel therewith is a rod 3!! having therein a lengthwise groove 3H3 shown in dotted lines in Figures 2 and 3. The forward end of this rod is supported by and rocks in the drawer front 3l5, there being on the rod a wing knob (M9 by which the rod may be rocked for a purpose that will presently appear.

The numeral 323 (Figure 2) designates a bracket which is practically the same length as the card, and to the center of which and integral therewith is a slidable sleeve 32! through which the rod 3|! passes, aided by rollers 322, and in which it is supported, it being understood that the bracket 32!) integral with the sleeve extends laterally in both directions and rests and travels on the stationary bars 3l2. Pivoted to the sleeve 32l is a lever 323 having an elongated opening embracing the rod 3H, there being at the end of the opening a tooth 324 arranged to grip the rod normally on its bottom to prevent retrograde movement of the sleeve 32l and the card stack 32'! and to enter the groove 318 in the side of the rod when the wing knob 3l9 is turned to release the tooth from the rod at such time when it is desired to open the drawer, there being a spring 325 tending to cause the tooth to normally grip the rod in order to prevent the spring tensioned ribbon from moving the sleeve toward the stacker 299. When the rod is turned by the knob 319, the groove 3|8 will be presented to the tooth 324 of lever 323, which now releases its grip upon the rod and permits it to move sufiiciently to close the gap between the card stack 32'! and flange 326 carried by the rod, when the drawer is pulled out, thus assuring that the cards are kept in proper upright position. The semicircular flange 326 engages a card stack 32'! only when the drawer is pulled out to prevent the cards from falling out of the order in which they have been stacked. The end of rod 3| 1 is further provided with a plug 328 adapted to enter between the spring contact points 329 carried by the block 339 of insulating material, the arrangement being such that when the drawer is pulled out the motor circuit 329 leading to source of current is broken and the machine stopped. There is a manually operated switch in series with the motor 356 for use when the operator desires to stop the machine. When the drawer reaches its full capacity the motor circuit is automatically broken, and when it is desired by the operator to remove the drawer before its capacity has been reached, the circuit is also automatically broken, thus preventing the cards from being fed into the drawer when out of position to receive them.

The numeral 33| indicates a backing plate for the cards, which plate is firmly secured to the bracket 32!! (Figure 2), and between this plate and bracket are secured the ends of the metallic ribbons 3. These ribbons form the base for the card stack, so that at no time in their travel are the cards moved relatively to their base in suchwise as to injure their edges as might interfere with their future use.

The forward ends of the ribbons 3 are connected to the bracket 320, as shown at 3| I, and their rear ends are connected with the spring tension drums 3H1, and there is no connection between the ribbons and the rod 3l1. Consequently, when a card is added to the stack by the stacker cooperating with the stack, the stacker moves the stack forward a distance equal to the thickness of the card and the ribbons will be moved the same distance, thus presenting a new part of the ribbon base or support to the added card. As the cards are added one by one to the stack, the stack and bracket 320 and sleeve 32l will slide slowly along rod 311, retrograde movement of the sleeve and parts carried thereby being prevented by the bite of the tooth 324 against the bottom of the rod 3H. The stacker is so geared and timed that it will receive a card for each half revolution and by the reason of the eccentric formation of the parts 333 of its arms that form the pockets, will successively stack the cards. A stationary circular casing 334 (Fig. 1) carried by bracket 382 contains a spiral spring, the outer end of which is fastened to the casing and the inner end is secured to the shaft, whereby a constant tension is put upon the metallic ribbons and bracket 320 urging them rearwardly, thus keeping the peripheral portions 333" of the arms of the stacker in contact with the cards stacked.

The chute 291 is open at its upper and lower ends and at its sides, and, properly positioned at its sides and between its ends are a number of feed rolls that pick up and carry the cards through the chute to the point of delivery to the receiving drawer. At the upper end of the chute adjacent its mouth and on each side is a combined feed roll and gear 282', (Figs. 1 and 2) each formed with an integral gear which meshes with similar gears which form a part of lower feed rolls 282. The lower rolls are driven by the gear 28! mounted on suitable studs on the side plates B, which latter gear 28l is driven by any suitable gearing with the main drive of the machine. The chute is cut away at intervals at its sides to let in the various feed rolls that convey the cards through the chute. The gears of the combined gears and feed roll 282 mesh with idler gear 283 which drive combined gears and rollers 284; the idler 285 is driven by the gears 234; the idler 285 drives the combined gears and rolls 286 which drive the larger idlers 281, which in turn drive the combined gears and rolls 288. All the rolls and gears just described are mounted on studs on the side plates B. The combined feed rolls 282' are mounted on bellcrank levers 289 connected to similar bell-cranks 2% by springs 299. This bell-crank 29] carries combined gears and rolls 292 cooperating with the gears and rolls 284. Further down on the chute are similar bell-cranks 293 and 294 con nected by springs 295, which bell-cranks respecitvely carry combined rolls and gears 296 and 293, which respectively cooperate with combined rolls and gears 236 and 288. Suitable studs as shown, are provided on the side plates B for the mounting of these bell-cranks. The springs 290 and 295 obviously urge their gears and rolls toward their associated rolls with suflicient force to feed the cards through the chute to the base of the machine, and through an opening 298 to the stacking mechanism and the card receiver.

I claim:

1. In a mechanism for handling and stacking cards, in combination, a stacker hopper having an opening to receive the cards, a movable bottom support for supporting the cards in edgewise position, a rotary stacker arranged to enease the last card in the stack to move said stack and its support toward the outlet end of the hopper, means for rotating the stacker and means for constantly urging the card support and cards stacked thereon toward the stacker with the last card of the stack in engagement with said stacker whereby the movement of the stacker moves the stack and its support toward the outlet of the hopper as the size of the stack is increased.

2. In a mechanism for handling and stacking cards, in combination, a stacker hopper having an opening to receive the cards, a movable bottorn support for supporting the cards in edgewisc position, a rotary stacker arranged to engage the last card in a stack to move said stack and its support toward the outlet end of the hopper, means for rotating the stacker, means for constantly urging the support and cards stacked thereon toward the stacker with the last card of said stack in engagement with s stacker, whereby the movement of the stacker moves ti o stack and its support toward the outlet of the hopper as the size of the stack. is increased, and means actuated when the hopper reached its capacity to stop the rotation of the s acker.

3. In a machine for handling and stacking cards, in combination, a hopper having an opening to receive the cards in substantially vertical position, means for maintaining the cards stacked position, means for individually stacking the cards in the hopper, and bottom support for the cards and movable in a substantially hori zontal direction, the movement of the support being controlled by a card. stack as the same increases in size.

4, In a machine for handling and stacking cards, in combination, a hopper ing to receive the cards in substan position, rr ns formaintaining th... stacked on. io; 'vidually stacking the cards in the hopper, bottom support for the cards and movable a substantially horl zontal direction, movement or" the support being controlled by the card stack. as the same increases in means for preventng trograde movement of the cards while 1 cards are being stacked.

5. In a niacl' for handling d stackhg cards, comhiua'tmn, a chute pe ,oned' to receive the cards, .is for feeding the cards through the chute, a located at the outlet end of the chute, 'rnean's within hopper for individually stack ng the cards *1 in substantially vertical position, and a hottersupport for the cards movable in a substantiz ly horizontal direction and whose movement is con-- trolled by the stock as increases size.

6. In a machine for and stack ng cards, in combination, a hopper, means within the hopper for individually stacking the cards therein in substantially vertical position, and a bottom sup a stantia-lly zontal direction whose movement. is controlled by the card stack as it increases in size.

'7. In a machine for be cards, in co ing the cards into the ho per individually and stacking the cards therein in substantially vertical pos. and a bottom support for the cards moving in substantially horizontal direction and whose movement is co: trolled by the card stack as it increases in a for urging said support normally toward the st cking and means in. endent of said u means to prevent retrograde movement of the movable supporting means.

8. In a machine for and stacking in coinbinatic a hopper, for feeding cards to hop means witl n the hopper for stacking cards ind dually therein, a movable uppcrt for the cards, a member extending for :lling and stacking substantially the length of the hopper, means slidably mounted on said member for supporting the cards in substantially vertical position, means carried by said member for normally completing an electric circuit, and both manually and automatically operable to control the starting stopping of the machine.

9. In a machine for handling and stacking cards, in combination, a hopper, having an opening to receive the cards, means within the hopper for stacking the cards individually therein, a horizontally movable bottom support for the cards whereby the cards are moved from the rear to the front of the hopper and controlled by the card stack as it i creases in size, a member extending substantially the entire length of the hopper, means slidably mounted on said member for supporting the cards in substantially vertical position, means carried by said member for normally completing an electric circuit, and automatically operated when the size of the stack has reached the capacity of the hopper to break the circuit and stop the machine, and manually operable short of the capacity of the hopper, to

stop the machine.

10. In a machine for handling and stacking cards, in combination, a hopper, having an opening to receive the cards and rotary stacker formed with a peripheral portion arranged to engage the cards for accurately positioning them in the hopper, a bottom support for the cards and movable in substantially a horizontal direction, and whose movementis controlled by a card stack as said stack increases in size, and means connected with the said movable bottom sup-port for constantly urging said support and the card stack normally toward the stacker.

11. In a machine 'for handling and stacking cards, in combination, a hopper, having an opening to receive the cards, a movable support in said hopper for supporting the cards in substantially vertical position, a rotary stacker arranged to engage the last card in. the stock to move said stack and its support toward the outlet of the hopper, said movement of the stack and its support being controlled by the size of the stack as the same is increased.

12. In a machine for handling and stacking cards, in combination, a hopper, means for conveying cards into said hopper in substantially vertical position, a movable bottom support for supporting the cards, whose movement is con trolled by the size of the stack as it increases in size, a stacker including means for receiving and adding the cards to the stack in substantially vertical position, means carried. by the stacker for engaging the last card in a stack to move the stack and its support toward the outlet end of the hopper, and means for keeping the card stack in constant engagement with the stacker whereby upon the movement of the stacker the card stack and. its support are moved toward the hopper outlet.

13. In a machine for handling and stacking cards, in combination, a hopper, having an opening therein to receive the cards, a movable card support for supporting cards in edgwise position, means for maintaining the cards in substantially upright position, a rotary stacker, said stacker being formed with pockets to receive the cards in edgewise position and having eccentric portions on one side of the pockets, and outer concentric peripheral portions, the eccentric portions operating to feed. the cards to the stack and the peripheral portions operating against the last card in the stack to move said stack and its support toward the outlet end of the hopper, mean for constantly urging the stacked cards and their support toward the stacker.

14. In a machine for handling and stacking cards, in combination, a hopper, having an opening therein to receive the cards, means for individually stacking the cards in said hopper, a bottom support for the cards comprising spring restrained members movable toward and from the outlet end of the hopper, a slidable rod having a sleeve slidable thereon, means carried by the sleeve for supporting the card stack in substantially upright position, a rotary stacker cooperating with the stacked cards to move said stack and its support along said rod, and electrical contact means carried by the rod cooperating with contacts in a motor circuit, to break said circuit and stop the machine when the hop-- per has reached its capacity by reason of the addition of the cards to the stack by the stacker.

15. In a machine for handling and stacking cards, in combination, a hopper, having an opening therein to receive the cards, means for individually stacking the cards in the hopper, a bottom support for the cards comprising spring restrained members movable toward and from the outlet end of the hopper and cooperating with the stacker to move the support and the cards stacked thereon toward the outlet of the hopper, a slidable and a rockable rod having one end available on the outside of the hopper, electrical connection between said rod and a motor circuit whereby when the rod is moved toward the outlet end of the hopper the motor circuit is broken to stop the machine, a member slidable on said rod and connected with the card support, means carried by said slidable member for preventing retrograde movement of the card support, said means comprising a pivoted lever having a projection normally engaging the periphery of the rod, said projection being arranged to enter the groove in the rod when said rod is rocked to permit the rod and parts carried thereby to be withdrawn from the hopper to gain access to the cards before the hopper has reached its capacity.

16. In a machine for handling and stacking cards, in combination, a hopper, means for delivering cards to said hopper one after another, means for moving said cards forwardly step by step in substantially vertical position, a circuit for an electric motor whereby the machine is operated, and means associated with said hopper for opening the motor circuit at any point within the range of the capacity of the hopper and thereby stopping the machine.

17. In a machine for handling and stacking cards, in combination, a hopper, means for delivering cards to said hopper one after another at a predetermined speed, means for moving said cards forwardly step by step whereby a definite stack is formed, said means comprising a rotary stacker having a plurality of projections thereon adapted to engage the card last delivered, a means for rotating the portion of the stacker which faces the card at a certain speed corresponding to the speed of delivery means for said card to the hopper, and a movable bottom support for the cards whose advancement is controlled by the card stack as it increases in size.

18. In a machine for handling and stacking cards, in combination, a hopper, means for delivering cards to said hopper one after another, means for moving said cards forwardly step by step whereby a stack is formed, said means comprising a rotary stacker having a plurality of projections thereon adapted to engage the last card delivered, and pockets in said stacker for allowing the card to enter the field of action of the stacker so as to be stacked by the further rotation of the stacker, and a movable bottom card support whose advancement is controlled by the card stack as it increases in size.

19. In a machine for handling and stacking cards, in combination, a hopper, having an opening to receive the cards, a movable card support in the hopper, a rotary stacker in the hopper formed with a peripheral portion arranged to engage the cards for accurately positioning them, the movement of said card support being controlled by the card stack as it increases in size.

OLUF L. CLEVEN. 

